Optimization of electric propulsion spacecraft transfer to the libration point L2 of the Earth-Moon system

Аuthors

Starinova O. L.^*, Fain M. K.^**

Samara National Research University named after Academician S.P. Korolev, 34, Moskovskoye shosse, Samara, 443086, Russia

*e-mail: solleo@mail.ru
**e-mail: fain.maxim@gmail.com

Abstract

The optimal interplanetary trajectories and the trajectories of flights to the Moon pass near the libration point L1 of the Earth-Moon system. Therefore, there is a growing interest in building a space station on the halo orbit near this point. Establishing such a station would require development of a transport system capable of providing the necessary traffic. Implementation of the electric propulsion will greatly improve the mass efficiency of such transport operations and reduce the cost of creation and maintenance of the station.

The exact solution of the problem was established with the use of the Pontryagin’s maximum principle and the numerical integration. In this work we use the Fedorenko successful linearization method that accepts the limitation on composed functions that have Freshe derivatives. The method is based on making the variation optimal control problem the iteration problem of linear programming.

Contrary to the optimal control choice, here the Sun’s perturbation was accounted. According to the above-stated control program the steering angle λ₂ could be neglected. The analysis of the optimal solution shows, that the optimal control program for λ₁ has three different segments of operation.

The optimal control programs for the Earth-L1 and L1-L2 transfers and corresponding trajectories were obtained. The results are in good agreement with the results obtained by the Pontryagin’s maximum principle.

The applied method demonstrates its effectiveness for the complex optimization of the SC transportation. Findings may be used to calculate the required design-ballistic parameters of the future lunar missions. The optimal interplanetary trajectories and the trajectories of flights to the Moon pass near the libration point L1 of the Earth-Moon system. The usage of the electric propulsion will greatly improve the mass efficiency of such transport operations and reduce the cost of creation and maintenance of the perspective Moon station.

Keywords:

spacecraft, low thrust transfer, trajectory optimization, libration point, space tug

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